Why are some Twitter profile pictures SQUARE? Elon Musk’s latest change explained as the platform continues to experiment with new features
- Some Twitter profile pictures have been changed from a circle to a square shape
- These have been verified as being business accounts, and also have a gold tick
- They are being rolled out along with the new ‘Twitter Blue For Business’ service
- Subscribers can also get a badge of the logo of an affiliated organisation
If you’ve opened Twitter recently, it may look slightly different to the last time you logged in – even if that was just a few days ago.
Yesterday, some accounts had their profile pictures changed from a circle to a square shape with rounded corners, in the latest change authorised by Elon Musk.
These are being added to verified business accounts on the platform as another way to differentiate them along with the new system of coloured checkmarks.
The square profile pictures appear within the Twitter feed as well as on the account’s own page, alongside a gold tick to ensure any user of its legitimacy.
Twitter accounts are having their profile pictures changed from a circle to a square shape to indicate they are a verified business accounts
The square profile pictures appear within the Twitter feed as well as on the account’s own page, alongside a gold tick to ensure any user of its legitimacy
Blue tick – These either mean that the account is paying for Twitter Blue, or they had the checkmark prior to Mr Musk’s takeover. These have not necessarily been verified by Twitter.
Gold tick + square profile picture – These features indicate a verified business account, that may actively subscribe to ‘Twitter Blue for Business’.
Grey tick – These indicate a verified account which represents a government institution or official.
‘Official’ label – This is applied to the verified accounts of commercial companies.
‘State-affiliated media’ or ‘government organisation’ label – These are applied to verified accounts of organisations controlled by individuals or media entities affiliated with a country’s government or state.
‘Automated by…’ label – These indicate that an account is posting content not produced by a human, and names the person responsible for it.
Professional category labels – These are descriptive labels chosen by the account holder, who has signed up for a ‘Professional Account’. This is a free upgrade users can apply for commercial accounts providing they fit a set of criteria.
Accounts with blue ticks still have a circular profile picture.
But these aren’t the only two profile picture shape options, as Twitter Blue subscribers who own an NFT can display it as a hexagonal profile picture.
The Twitter Help Centre states that any account with a gold tick and square profile picture ‘is an official business account through Twitter Blue for Business’.
This is a new upgrade option currently being rolled out to certain verified accounts, but it is unclear whether they actively signed up to it or not.
It is also unclear how one applies for this service or how much it costs, but a Twitter blog does state that it will ‘share any new criteria, pricing or process as we update them’.
Musk has been hellbent on improving the verification process and ridding the platform of so-called ‘spam bots’ since before his $44billion (£38bn) takeover.
In his official statement after having his bid accepted in April, he said that he wants ‘to make Twitter better than ever’ by ‘authenticating all humans’.
In addition to the square profile pictures, a few accounts have been graced with another badge on their profile indicating an affiliate organisation.
These are miniature square icons that appears to the right of the checkmark on the profile and in Tweets, showing the logo of the affiliation.
This is reportedly another feature available to subscribers of Twitter Blue for Business.
Examples of accounts which already have the affiliate badges include @TwitterSupport, which has a small Twitter Bird logo that links to the @Twitter account when clicked.
Another is the account of David Sacks, a tech investor and friend of Mr Musk, which has a badge of the logo for his venture fund company Craft Ventures.
Twitter Blue and Twitter Blue For Business aren’t the only new account upgrades available, as users can also apply for a ‘Professional Account’.
In addition to the square profile pictures, a few accounts have been graced with another badge on their profile indicating an affiliate organisation. The account of David Sacks, a tech investor and friend of Mr Musk, has been given a badge of the logo for his venture fund company Craft Ventures, which links to its Twitter account
These accounts are available to ‘businesses, brands, creators and publishers’ who fit a set of criteria, including that they do not have a history of ‘repeatedly violating the Twitter User Agreement’.
The account must also represent the user’s ‘authentic identity’, with a complete account name, bio and profile picture.
Professional Accounts have access to exclusive tools like account analytics, ‘category labels’ for their profile and a ‘Twitter Shopping’ platform.
Unlike the Twitter Blue service, upgrading to a Professional Account is, currently, completely free.
As of last week, Twitter accounts can feature a gold tick, a blue tick, a grey tick, or no tick at all next to their account name.
Blue ticks
Twitter Blue is a subscription service that gives users a ‘Blue Tick’ of verification for a monthly fee.
It currently costs $8 (£6.50) per month for those who purchase the service through the web, but $11 (£9) per month through Apple iOS.
Subscribers are offered a range of features not available to regular account holders, including the ability to edit tweets after posting.
It currently costs $8 (£6.50) per month for those who purchase the service through the web, but $11 (£9) per month through Apple iOS
Elon Musk announces he WILL resign as Twitter CEO after humiliating defeat in his own poll
Elon Musk will resign as Twitter CEO after being defeated in his own disastrous poll.
The Tesla boss, 51, said when he uploaded the poll that he would ‘abide by’ the result – even if users said he should step down.
The result was confirmed Monday morning, with a total of 57.5 per cent of more than 17million accounts voting for him to step down from his position.
He has now confirmed that he would resign from the role he took on during his $44billion takeover – once he finds a replacement ‘foolish enough’ to replace him.
Read more here
This has long been requested by many users, although there are others who argue that it increases the potential for the spread of disinformation because a tweet could be altered after being widely shared.
Twitter said blue-tick subscribers will also see fewer adverts, have their tweets amplified above others, and be able to post and view longer, better quality videos.
However, not everyone who has a blue tick is paying for the Twitter Blue subscription service.
Before Musk took over, a blue tick was given out by Twitter for free to verify high-profile accounts and prove they were authentic.
Those who had one under the previous regime currently still have them, but now some of these users also have a message that appears if the tick is pressed.
It says the account is a ‘legacy verified account’ and ‘may or may not be notable’.
These will eventually be replaced when the new system is rolled out in full.
When this is completed, each Twitter Blue subscriber will receive the blue tick by their account name after their account has been reviewed and connected to a verified phone number.
Subscribing to Twitter Blue is now available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The social network said it planned to roll out Blue to more countries soon.
Gold ticks
In addition to the ‘Blue tick’, Twitter is also replacing the ‘official’ label with a gold checkmark on verified business accounts.
This includes the social network, with the platform’s official account itself having received a shiny new gold tick.
In addition to the ‘Blue tick’, Twitter is also replacing the ‘official’ label with a gold checkmark on verified business accounts
The Guinness World Records Twitter handle tweeted: ‘Does having a gold verification tick make us extra special @Twitter?’
Businesses have been celebrating the changes and the recognition that comes with this badge-of-honour.
Xbox, Marvel Entertainment and Sony are among the first few accounts to have the gold tick on Twitter, while the Guinness World Records Twitter handle tweeted: ‘Does having a gold verification tick make us extra special @Twitter?’
Specsavers also tweeted: ‘Our blue tick has turned gold’.
However, there was a slight hiccup in the rollout as Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge was briefly given a gold tick rather than a blue one, although this was later rectified.
There is no information regarding the prices of this new gold tick.
Specsavers also tweeted: ‘Our blue tick has turned gold’ (pictured)
However, there was a slight hiccup in the rollout as Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge was briefly given a gold tick rather than a blue one (pictured), although this was later rectified
Grey ticks
In the same way that blue ticks are for people and gold for businesses, the grey tick will be for government accounts.
This hasn’t yet been introduced but Twitter said it was coming soon.
It means governmental bodies, such as the Department for Health in the UK and the US Department of Homeland Security, will likely soon have the grey tick distinction rather than just a verified blue tick.
In the same way that blue ticks are for people and gold for businesses, the grey tick will be for government accounts. It means governmental bodies, such as the Department for Health in the UK and the US Department of Homeland Security, will likely soon have the grey tick distinction rather than just a verified blue tick. This shows how it could look for organisations
Many Twitter users have praised the introduction of the various colours, saying it is helpful to see straight away who is a person as opposed to a business, organisation or government account.
Kyle Dunkerley tweeted: ‘Gold ticks for brands, blue ticks for people. I really like the visual distinction. It makes it super easy to see who’s advertising to you.’
In announcing the new verification system, Musk was succinct and to the point, saying: ‘Gold check for companies, grey check for government, blue for individuals (celebrity or not) and all verified accounts will be manually authenticated before check activates.’
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TIMELINE OF ELON MUSK’S TWITTER TAKEOVER
April 2: Musk announces that he owns 9.2 percent of the company, making him its largest single shareholder.
April 14: Musk offers to take Twitter private at $54.20 a share, valuing the company at $44billion.
April 25: Twitter accepts Musk’s offer.
April 29: Musk sells $8bn in Tesla shares to finance deal.
May 13: Musk says Twitter deal is on hold pending a review of bot accounts.
May 26: Musk is sued by Twitter for stock manipulation during takeover.
July 8: Musk says he’s backing out of the deal. Twitter sues, trying to force him into seeing it through.
October 4: Musk proposes again to go ahead with the deal at the original price.
October 17: Proposed trial date in Delaware.
October 26: Musk visits Twitter HQ with a sink, updates his bio to ‘Chief Twit’ and sets his location to Twitter HQ.
October 27: Musk is officially made the new owner of Twitter, and tweets ‘the bird is freed’.
November 1: Musk confirms plans to change the system of ‘Blue Tick’ verification on Twitter, for a reduced subscription fee of $8 a month.
November 4: Musk lays off half of Twitter’s workforce as an alleged cost-cutting measure, claiming he had ‘no choice.’
November 9: Musk launches the ‘Twitter Blue’ subscription service which verifies accounts for a monthly fee.
November 11: The Twitter Blue service is paused due to accounts purchasing verification and using it to impersonate brands and public figures.
November 12: Musk fires 80 per cent of Twitter contractors without warning.
November 15: Musk fires employees that posted negatively about him on the business messaging app Slack. The lawsuit between Musk and Twitter is dismissed.
November 16: Twitter staff are told they need to sign a pledge to be able to stay on in their roles where they would be ‘working long hours at high intensity’ or receive three months of severance pay, resulting in a mass exodus.
November 18: A news-ticker was projected onto Twitter HQ in San Francisco dubbing Musk as a ‘space Karen’, ‘mediocre manchild’ and ‘bankruptcy baby’.
November 23: A Twitter user reported that 5.4 million phone numbers and email addresses leaked on the dark web, before his account was suspended.
November 26: Financial Times revealed that 50 of the platform’s top 100 advertisers have paused their ads.
November 29: Platformer reported that Twitter is in the process of reinstating around 62,000 banned accounts that each have more than 10,000 followers.
December 12: Twitter Blue is re-launched with new Blue Tick reviewing process.
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